Team 8
by Author Pendragon
Summary: Sasuke threatens to quit if Naruto is on his team. Naruto is moved to team 8, Kiba to 7. Kakashi gets what's been coming too him, better late than never. Kurenai is moved as back up sensei as Anko finally makes Jounin. first story attempt. pls review.
1. Chapter 1

A/N:- Welcome to my first fanfiction. I hope you like it. Constructive reviews massively appreciated.

Team 8

Chapter 1

/ Konoha Academy \

"Settle down," Iruka yelled as the people already named to their teams joined together and conversed excitedly. To be honest he couldn't blame them, since they had no idea that they'd only passed the first stage of their Genin test. The next stage was the all important one which would see them either as Genin, returned to the academy for remedial training or on the recommendation of the Jounin sensei forced to quit attempting to become ninja because they were deemed unsuitable to the rigours of the lifestyle. As the noise dropped to an acceptable level he started reading from the list he'd been given once more.

"Team seven, Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno," he ignored the scream of joy, honestly what were the selectors thinking? "and finally, Naruto Uzumaki." Iruka smirked as Sakura's joy turned sour at the addition of Naruto, and the fact that Naruto looked exactly the same because he was on a team with Sasuke whom he hated and Sakura whom he had a crush on was only cause for more mirth. The only one who didn't seem to have a reaction to the names of his team-mates was Sasuke and that wasn't surprising really as the boy had better control than nearly anyone else in the academy. Wanting to get things finished he moved on to the next team.

"Team eight, Hinata Hyuuga, Shino Aburame and…"

"I quit!" The voice stalled the instructor's next announcement as he wondered just what the hell was going on.

"I beg your pardon?" he turned back to the instigator of the remark.

"I said it very clearly instructor Iruka. I quit." Sasuke stood up and began making his way towards the door ignoring the murmuring voices of his class-mates.

"Sit back down this instant!" Iruka yelled at the Genin and admitted to himself that it was only the fact that the boy had been following his instructions for six years that had him follow them now. "Before you do anything you'd better have an explanation for me. Well do you?"

The dark haired boy glared at him from his seat aware that he was the centre of attention. Sakura the kunoichi on his team was staring at him with her mouth opening and closing in shock as she tried to form words of, well whatever she was trying to say he had no real interest in knowing. She wasn't the type of person who interested him.

"I won't be on the same team as the dead last!" he stated clearly.

"Oi!" Naruto yelled as he jumped out of his seat ready to launch himself at his rival for Sakura.

"Naruto sit down!" he could feel a massive headache coming on and he didn't need a physical altercation to add to his report. That and he knew in all honesty that while Naruto had stamina and strength and tenacity on his side, it simply wouldn't be enough if the Uchiha decided to go all out on him, and from the expression on the boys face he had every intention of planting the blonde boy if he attacked.

"While that is edifying Uchiha, I need more to take to my superiors if you're seriously thinking to force a change. So, why don't we start with your reasons, other than he's the 'dead last'?"

"I understand the reason for putting the top students with the dead last. We're supposed to sacrifice our training to bring him up to speed. The problem is I won't. I would need to see something worth redeeming for me to do that and…he's nothing. He never will be anything so I don't see any reason to waste valuable time away from my own training. Haruno might be the weakest kunoichi in this year, she might not have chakra reserves or high skill at taijutsu," he ignored the pained whimper from the pinkette as he continued, "But, she has something that he," and he pointed at Naruto, "Will never have. She has intelligence, and she has near perfect chakra control. Everything else she can gain through hard work. The Dobe has nothing; he's stupid, disrespectful of the training not even turning up for lessons. He lacks knowledge that everyone should know, geography, tactics, survival techniques, politics…the list of things he doesn't know is endless. His taijutsu is the worst in the academy; I've seen better first years. His weapons accuracy is pathetic, he has no knowledge of ninjutsu or genjutsu and I doubt he has the ability to learn anything. The only thing he's good for is getting his team-mates killed. If that's my only option I quit. I'd rather attempt to rebuild my clan than march to my assured death because of that idiot."

Iruka along with the rest of the class observed the diatribe in stunned silence and not because it was the most any of them could ever remember the Uchiha speak in one sitting either. It was the fact that his opinions were brutally delivered to both of his prospective team-mates and while the instructor agreed with his assessment of the Haruno girl, she spent more time pursuing the last Uchiha than training for her proposed career. There were extenuating circumstances where Naruto was concerned though, with instructors here at the academy actively sabotaging his education, no family to learn from outside and no mentors willing to tutor him and yet still he was here a newly made Genin despite the worst that had been done to him.

The trouble was that the Uchiha didn't seem like he'd be reasonable about this, and there was little to nothing that Iruka could do if the boy decided to truly quit. Not that he believed the boy wanted to quit in any way shape or form, it didn't fit his profile. He was what the academy profilers termed an Avenger, he had stated numerous times that his goal was to face his brother Itachi and bring him to justice.

One thing Iruka was sure of was that neither the ninja clans nor the civilian council would stand for the last Uchiha walking away from being a ninja and they would bring considerable force to bear on the issue if they found out.

/ Hokage tower \

Anko Mitarashi wasn't sure just what she was doing in the office of the Hokage. Scratch that, she was in a line of prospective Jounin sensei and since she was at most a Special Jounin that would mean that she was very out of place here. Not that she wasn't enjoying herself as she watched the interactions of the others around her.

Kakashi Hatake had been absolutely hilarious when he'd turned up three minutes after the meeting was due to start and she hadn't been the only one amused.

If there was one thing that Kakashi was notorious for, other than stealing other people's jutsu was his tardiness. In fact not many people could remember him before the death of his team-mate Obito had changed his demeanour. Before he'd been punctual and if he wasn't there was a reason that would be outside of his control. With the death of Obito though he'd become the absolute opposite. Now it was normal to expect him to turn up three hours late to meeting such as this unless it was stipulated something was time critical. The excuses that were offered for his tardiness were often so lame that he might as well just of stated the truth that he really didn't care.

So to find out that his habitual tardiness had been factored in and the eight' o'clock meeting he'd been told to attend actually started at eleven came as a shock and the lame excuse he'd been about to use died on his lips.

"Ah, Kakashi so good of you to join us, and on time I might add," Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Hokage of Konoha smiled at the Jounin before the light bled out of his eyes, "We'll talk about this after the meeting," he stated, "Now join the others as we discuss the teams. Sameki Jurio, you will take team one…"

Anko tuned out the proceedings as she really didn't have any part in them. Maybe she'd been called to see how things were done, or a meeting after this one. It didn't make any sense as far as she was concerned. She was pulled from her ruminations by the grumbling of the Jounin around her and started paying full attention as she heard the Hokage say…

"There's a perfectly good reason that Hatake will tutor the last Uchiha…Unless one of you happens to have an activated Sharingan that I don't know about. He is the only one suited to train the boy, as he will understand the best use for the Sharingan while most of you only have conjecture to aid you. The rest of his team will consist of Sakura Haruno and Naruto Uzumaki," the announcement of the other team members silenced those who'd been inclined to continue protesting even though the old man had stated his opinion clearly and none of them could really refute it. The fact that Kakashi would also be lumbered with a no name first generation kunoichi and the Demon Fox removed any envy from those who'd thought that the Hokage was creating another clan team such as the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. In fact that was a likely team to happen as there were three members of those families currently in the graduating class, and since there were ten teams and fifteen Jounin present and a Special Jounin there was a good chance that any one of the unassigned Jounin would get them.

Anko noted that team eight would be a tracking team while team nine, the expected Ino-Shika-Cho team would be combat oriented. There was a slight grumble that Asuma Sarutobi got that assignment, as they deemed it to be nepotism but the Hokage continued with a quelling look. The final team was another first and second generation team that in all honesty weren't anything spectacular if their parents were anything to go by.

Just as she thought, these proceeding had nothing to do with her. It was a relief that she knew her presence was unlikely to be anything disciplinary as she hadn't failed a mission objective or done anything within the village that would gain her censure. Though it did serve to fire her curiosity further.

"That having been covered, after lunch you shall move to the academy to meet your teams. First off though we shall watch the team assignments at the academy," he finished as he removed the cover over his crystal ball. With years of experience he focused chakra into the sphere and waited for the image to resolve. The Jounin waited restlessly as they already knew their assignments and wanted to take a little time to prepare themselves for the coming meeting and test.

The first teams were announced with the expected quiet congratulations amongst team members until the noise built up enough for Iruka to silence them all, amusingly enough it silenced the Jounin in the Hokage's office as well. He definitely has his command voice down Anko mused as she watched the scarred instructor. Like many of the people in the room she had a great deal of respect for the Chounin instructor since he'd been dealing with these children and ones just like them for close to ten years. His records spoke well of him if what she'd seen was any indication, not that she'd seen his full files, only the Hokage had access to those.

He announced team seven, with some unusual reactions amongst the Genin that the seasoned ninja could read like an open book. The girl had a crush on Uchiha, while Naruto had a crush on the girl and Sasuke…wasn't as open a book as they'd at first thought. He remained stoic and they could tell he was thinking about something but that was the extent of what they could read. Iruka was too busy to notice and continued onto to team eight when the last Uchiha announced that he quit. To say that pandemonium ensued would be like saying the sun was a little bright. The Hokage's office looked like an ants nest that had been poked with a stick. Except for the Hokage who released a sigh before forming a hand seal that produced a loud thunderclap in the confined space. Anko was the only one who saw what was coming and covered her ears as she was an interested observer more than a participant.

Silence followed the sound almost as quickly as the Hokage's ANBU squad appeared in the room looking for the threat to the Hokage. The four man team vanished as quickly as they came when they saw the hand-sign from their leader that all was well.

"You will remain silent," he stated as he met each of their eyes in turn until he read acceptance in them and then moved on.

"Obviously the Uchiha cannot be allowed to quit the program, the fallout would be too cumbersome to circumvent and I'd probably be forced to disband the civilian council plus quell riots in the streets. It is also obvious that the boy has no intention of leaving; he is using this to get something he wants knowing that he has a certain latitude due to his clans' prominence. On the surface his reasons seem sound, but I have other information that negates much of what he said about Uzumaki. The problem is that even though we can force the issue, their team-work would be set back by years…If it could ever recover from such a declaration." The Hokage settled back into his seat and closed his eyes.

"This situation was not unforseen. I have already prepared an alternate team schedule. Team leaders one through six and nine and ten may leave and prepare for their team meeting…"

"I assume you're going to break my team apart to assuage the Uchiha's request?" Kurenai Yuhi asked, "Can I ask which of my team you'll be replacing with Naruto?"

"You may indeed. I've decided that Kiba Inuzaki will take Naruto's place. While you had a specialized tracking team with Kiba filling a back up role of heavy combat nin in the case of them getting into trouble. That very ability to enter combat suits him to team seven as well, it will also add a tracking ability to what will primarily be a combat team," he paused for a second to let that information sink in.

"And what will my team do now in a combat situation? He might have been arrogant and cruel but the Uchiha did raise several pertinent points…"

"Firstly, they are not your Genin! They are the villages Genin; you are responsible for them as I am responsible for you and the village."

Kurenai flushed in embarrassment at being reprimanded and squirmed a little under the Hokage's scrutiny.

"Good, you understand. The second point I'd like to raise with you is that while Naruto is currently not," he paused to seek a word that described Naruto adequately, "Competent. There is a very good reason for that. I have reason to believe that there will be more than the normal amount of failures to pass the final Genin test this year. In fact I believe that only three teams stood a chance, and with the breaking and reforming of team seven I'm not sure of their passing now either.

This is no fault of their own and I have had Iruka attempting to repair the situation. He has had limited results due to certain elements seeking to actively sabotage Naruto Uzumaki's training. In doing so they compromised the training of most of the first and second generation ninja. The situation didn't become apparent until the start of this year when they entered their final year. He had neither the time nor the assistance he should as his partner Mizuki was also attempting to make sure that Uzumaki didn't pass his final exams." Sarutobi stopped and took a sip of his water before continuing.

"Six academy instructors have had their employment terminated since the problem became apparent," he didn't state it clearly but the word terminated in the context he'd used it had a few different meanings. He could have fired them, or had them killed for what he believed to be an utter betrayal of the village. Which ever it was he wasn't going to alleviate their curiosity, they'd have to do that themselves at a later time.

"The thing that surprises me is that no one else has noted Naruto Uzumaki's potential. A boy that constantly has managed to prank a ninja village and lead the ANBU on a merry chase for hours at a time. A student not even graduated from the academy evaded capture by experienced ANBU…" he let that sink in for a moment, "He has also pranked the Inuzuka and Hyuuga clans and escaped completely. There aren't many who could escape the notice of either of those clans and yet he has. Another thing to look at is his tenacity, he could have quit many times over the years and yet he's still there. Everyone laughs when they hear him announce that he will be Hokage. Well I'm not laughing…

I see such potential in him and I will see it realized or there will be consequences. We each say that we value team-work, we value loyalty and yet when given a prime example we shun him. I have seen that boy insulted, attacked by villagers and ninja together and separately. He is constantly rorted by shopkeepers when buying goods, either selling him out of date produce or low quality goods while charging him three and four times what they would be worth if they were of the highest quality. He has every reason to hate this village, he has been given every reason to just give up and release the Kyuubi upon us all and yet…and yet he still thinks this place is worth saving, worth protecting. I cannot fathom such loyalty.

I would not see him punished for his loyalty as I have seen others punished," he turned to Anko and for the first time acknowledged her presence.

"For too long I have given in to the voice of the village. I have failed you all; I had forgotten my place, and that of those on the council. This shall change. But first…

Anko Mitarashi, you will take command of team eight. Kurenai Yuhi, you will be second in command and advisor to Anko as she takes on her first team…"

"But I'm only a Special Jounin," Anko whispered hoarsely.

"Oh? That's correct. Then that would mean that you are no longer a Special Jounin. Welcome to the ranks Jounin Mitarashi," Sarutobi smiled for the first time in half an hour.

"Now, you're being asked to take a raw recruit who has been taught very little. To be honest, his taijutsu, ninjutsu and genjutsu are atrocious. His major problems though, and the ones that will get him killed are his chakra control and lack of discipline. His major advantage and what will allow him to catch and surpass his classmates is his ability to create mass shadow clones. Each of you knows what that means and how much chakra it takes to create even one shadow clone. I tell you this; Naruto can create hundreds of them without being winded. With his level of chakra control he is actually only able to apply fifteen percent of his chakra to the intended purpose. I want you to think on that when you have the time and then ask yourself what he could have been with competent teaching right from the start.

Anko, Kurenai, your team awaits. You are dismissed." He watched the newly minted Jounin as she walked from the room, her spine straighter than he'd seen it in years. Kurenai followed without a word, she knew that while she'd apparently been demoted to second in command that it actually meant little or nothing to her personally. As she'd been reminded her life was the villages and the Hokage deemed this to be the best use for her. It wasn't a punishment since she and everyone else knew that Sarutobi didn't work that way so he had another agenda that in her inexperience she hadn't been able to figure out yet. As the door was closing she heard him dismiss the others…

"Everyone else, you're dismissed also. Kakashi, remain." No one failed to notice the cold tone of their leaders' voice when he spoke to the Copycat Ninja and no one felt particularly sorry for the fact that the old man was probably going to discipline him. Though many of them wouldn't mind being a fly on the wall to see him dressed down. When she caught up with their team leader she found her head bent over the files on her new team members perusing their contents. In fact if the hands' holding the files wasn't trembling almost imperceptibly she might have believed that Anko was merely reading.

"Anko? Are you alright?" Her only answer was a slight nod which she dismissed while reaching over and lifting the new Jounins' chin so that she could meet her eyes. What she found shocked her as tears, actual emotional tears leaked from the silent Jounins' eyes. Her emotions in her eyes were indescribable, they were the eyes of someone who'd seen more than they ever should have and for the first time were acknowledging the horrors, they were the eyes of a child filled with hope and determination, they were the eyes of the hopeless given hope, the weak given strength and the strong with that strength torn away.

Kurenai had never seen Anko stripped of all her masks before and if she had her choice she'd never see something like this again. No one should be forced to experience let alone witness a person in a moment like this. It put steel in her spine to know that one of the people she considered a friend had been holding this inside for all these years and never let anyone see. It made all the problems she'd faced seem trivial in comparison.

One thing she knew was that any physical contact would be unwelcome at this time. Anko was too raw and she was fighting for control and would react violently if she was pushed too far.

"Right…We have a team to meet. You have their files," she nodded to the paperwork in Anko's hands, "We have roughly half an hour to prepare to test them…" she stopped as Anko raised a hand to interrupt her.

"They've already passed their test," Anko stated.

"What do you mean? They've only passed the technical side of things, yet, but they still have to prove that they can work as a team and understand the importance of working together…"

"I never said we wouldn't test them. I meant that I don't believe in the standard test for team-work. The bell test followed by a lecture isn't my idea of teaching them about team-work. It might work for a while but they'll eventually forget the lesson or dismiss it at a later time. I intend to teach them the lesson again and again, test them again and again until it becomes not just a lesson but their very nature. To the point where they won't ever have to question their team-mates as to what they're doing or why because they'll already know without even needing to think…"

Kurenai blinked as she listened to her team-mate and almost swallowed nervously at the level of conviction in Anko's voice. Anything further was interrupted as they heard a loud thud coming from the Hokage's office. Both of them turned to face the door not knowing what to expect; when nothing else happened Anko turned to face Kurenai and shrugged.

"We'd better get going if we want to discuss our team. I'll even buy the dango," Kurenai offered, knowing that the offer of the sweet would lift Ankos' mood like nothing else.

"You're on!" a re-enthused Anko shouted before grabbing the taller woman and dragging her out of the offices.

/ Academy \

Iruka Umino would be the first to admit that he was about to pull his hair out at the current situation within his classroom. The uproar caused by the last Uchiha threatening to quit was worse than any of the times Naruto managed to prank someone in the village.

"The lot of you, sit down and shut up! We'll wait until the Hokage comes to a decision on this," he didn't explain to the curious exactly how the Hokage would know there was something wrong if Iruka hadn't sent a message. It would be years before many of them would find out. He was just glad that the Hokage took such an interest in the Genin graduation as it would save him a lot of stress. Iruka had no way of knowing that the decision had already been made and the ANBU was waiting to see if the Hokage had been correct before informing the hapless instructor of the final team deliberations.

Only two people failed to note the entrance of the ANBU. Naruto who was abnormally depressed. It was normal that people put him down, it'd been happening all his life so it should have been a surprise that the words of Sasuke Uchiha could wound him so deeply. Maybe it was because he'd always deemed the dark haired boy as a rival, someone to measure up to and surpass if he could. To find out that same boy considered him less than the lowest bug was a crushing blow to both his ego and his aspirations.

The other person who, though she didn't miss the appearance of, simply didn't care about the ANBU's entrance was Hinata Hyuuga who was totally focused on Naruto. She'd never seen him like this before and for the first time in her life she thought she might be able to actually hurt someone without any thought to what she was doing to them. The Uchiha might be the strongest ninja but that wouldn't help him against the 'Gentle Fist'. She was about to move when the ANBU spoke…

"By order of the Hokage team seven will reform, Naruto Uzumaki will be replaced by Kiba Inuzuka. Naruto will move to team eight," the man paused here as the Hyuuga heiress who'd been about to attack Sasuke Uchiha feinted dead away with a startled 'eep!'

Iruka smiled for the first time in the last ten minutes as he thought about how interesting this years graduation was going to be. He had no real idea…

"If there are no more objections?" he raised an eyebrow in enquiry towards Sasuke who shook his head slightly, "Then we'll break for lunch. Be back here in an hour to meet your Jounin-sensei. I suggest you have lunch with your team to get to know each other before you have to work together," Iruka finished with the broadest hint that he could about the coming test. He didn't know that it was so much wasted breath since the Hokage had changed the rules for this years graduating class.

He watched in satisfaction as the Genin began to filter out of the room. The only team that didn't make a move towards the door was team eight who were forming around the still form of Naruto Uzumaki as he sat slumped in his chair. Iruka hoped they could rouse Naruto before their Jounin-sensei came to collect them. As he left the room he looked back to see Hinata approach the blonde hesitantly.

/ Team seven \

Sasuke stalked out of the class ahead of the main rush, moving at a fast clip he was attempting to avoid his fan club whom he hated with only slightly less zeal than he hated his big brother. Did none of them actually know him? Rhetorical question really, he thought. Of course they didn't know him. They actually thought that primping would gain his notice when what he needed was someone strong enough to become the next Uchiha matriarch. None of the girls from his class fit the bill.

Certainly several of them were smart enough, but they were weak willed and bodied.

"Shit!" he muttered as he caught sight of pink out of the corner of his eye. It seemed that he hadn't been quick enough to escape his team-mate. Knowing just how tenacious she could be he quickly took a step to the left and stopped abruptly causing the girl to run into his back she reacted so slowly. Kami she was weak, and had the reactions of a slug, in fact he'd have to say a slug had her beat in reflexes. Noting how she crumpled to the ground he added her balance to the list of her faults.

"What do you want Haruno?"

"Um," Sakura paused now that she was looking directly into the cold black eyes of the class heart-throb, "Um…"

"Spit it out already, I've only got an hour for lunch and don't want to waste it," he snapped at her.

"Um, would you like to share a lunch and get to know one another better?" she asked hopefully. It'd never worked before but now they were on the same team. Surely he'd have to take note of her now. She was completely unaware that he'd always taken note of her and all the other kunoichi that lusted after him and he found them all lacking.

"No," he said as coldly as he'd ever spoken to her before and had the satisfaction of watching her flinch away from him. Surprisingly she didn't run off to lick her wounds but stood her ground once she got over the initial shock of his tone.

"Iruka-sensei says we should take the hour to get to know one another since we're on the same team…" she trailed off as she realized that for the first time Sasuke was looking at her. She shivered as his eyes swept from her head down to her feet and back up to her face.

"I already know everything I need to know about you," his tone remained neutral but she could tell that he didn't find many redeeming features. The fact that he'd already told her what he thought of her when he'd dressed Naruto down. She'd been trying to dismiss his words with the knowledge that he thought she was smart and had good chakra control, but the expression on his face left no doubt that those qualities didn't negate the negatives in her.

The fact that she hadn't collapsed under his scrutiny gave him a little pause as he thought things through.

"Come with me," he didn't wait for her to acknowledge his demand, he turned and walked away at a fast pace towards the lockers. The first thing he pulled out of his locker was his bento which gave her some hope that he was actually going to eat with her. The next item he pulled out was a bundle of leather which he handed to her.

"As you are, you're almost as bad as the Dobe," he said crushingly, "Take these and get strong enough and maybe you'll be worth being on my team. Until then…don't waste my time." Sasuke turned and walked away from the stunned kunoichi.

Kiba was following his team-mates at a discreet distance and listened in to see what they were all about. By the time Sasuke left Sakura standing by the lockers he was snarling.

"Who does that teme think he is?" he demanded of Akamaru. He couldn't understand the kind of attitude the Uchiha had. He was from a family that raised their children to think of the team as their pack and so far this bastard had bitten two potential pack-mates. The puppy he'd been given to raise whimpered in response to communicate his own confusion about their team.

/ Hokage's tower \

Kakashi waited till the Jounin were out of the room before he turned his attention fully onto the Hokage.

"You wanted to talk to me sir?" For ever after he'd swear that the Hokage hadn't moved from behind his desk, nevertheless he was slammed back into the wall behind him with Hiruzen Sarutobi standing directly in front of him. The old mans palm held him pinned against the unyielding stone. He wasn't even straining as he held the Jounin off of the floor.

"Why yes," Sarutobi said calmly, "Do I have your undivided attention?"

"Y-yes sir," Kakashi answered shakily. He'd never seen the Hokage in this kind of mood before. If he'd thought Sasuke's eyes were cold, he felt he should be seeing glaciers in the dark grey eyes of the Hokage.

"Good. I've been meaning to speak to you for some time about your tardiness, and pardon the pun, but the time never seemed to be right," the cold expression intensified and Kakashi couldn't restrain the shiver that made it's way down his spine. He was a strong ninja by any nations standards and he knew it, but he also knew that Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't a legendary ninja for nothing and to be honest the thought that the man was this pissed at him had him terrified.

"I always allow my ninja a certain, latitude with their eccentricities. The life of a ninja is hard and a few vices here and there are a small compensation for that life. While you have never been late for a mission and your record of success is exemplary I am no longer content to sit back and watch your disrespect for your fellow ninja of this village. You have been so focused on the small teams that you have forgotten that the entire village is a team, one that you have failed repeatedly over the years. You are thirty years old Kakashi, your team was killed fifteen years ago, it's time to lay them to rest. Your vices are your own," he said gesturing towards the pocket he was known to keep his 'book' in, "Your tardiness however ends here. Do we have an understanding?"

Kakashi nodded furiously. For years he'd been able to do as he pleased, feigning ignorance of the reproving looks that the Hokage had given him about his poor time-keeping, he'd even assured the man on occasion that he would do better when he'd been given a gentle verbal reminder that he was a responsible member of the elite of the village and should lead by example. He'd taken those admonishments lightly and the Hokage seemed to have been satisfied so he'd chosen to ignore them. Going by his current actions he'd have to say he'd been a fool to ignore those earlier warnings as now things had become serious enough that he simply couldn't ignore the Hokage further. The Hokage's next words would prove to be like a bucket of ice cold water to a sleeping man, a sharp shock followed by lots of involuntary shivering

"Good, I'd hate to have to kill you for betraying your team," Hiruzen released his hold on the grey haired Jounin. Kakashi dropped several centimetres and almost kept going as his weakened knees almost failed to hold him up.

"Sit!" Sarutobi ordered as he pointed towards the chair in front of his desk. "We have much to discuss about your new team. And no, I'm not giving you an option, this team will pass your test, even if they fail. You will make it clear that they have failed and why. You will explain that they have only been allowed to become Genin because of a change in rules for this years graduating class.

I can see the question so I'll save some time and answer it. I've already explained that the instructors at the academy have sabotaged Naruto Uzumaki's training. That had a kick on effect on other peoples training. Going by paperwork only two of the current teams will pass if I hold to the old rules. In any other year there would be eight teams in total who would pass with the others returning to the academy or being failed from the course in the instance that the Jounin-sensei saw no saving grace in the prospective Genin.

We need the eight teams to replace those retiring, injured or promoted. That being said there are rules for the failing teams to follow. Even though seven or eight teams will be passed, those that are deemed too weak or untrainable by the Jounin will be failed completely. Those who can be trained up will go with a Jounin-sensei for more direct training, one on three. The teams that fail outright and are retained for retraining will not be allowed to be nominated for the Chounin exams for at least two years, even if they come up to scratch in a reasonable time.

With the teams that fail I expect them to do two D rank missions in the afternoon. They will be given short easy team building missions. Their mornings from seven til lunchtime will be taken up with intense training, when they've finished their two missions they will return to the training grounds for more training. For the first six months I expect them to crawl from the training grounds each day. I expect their Jounin-sensei to tear them down to the ground and rebuild them as what they should have been." Sarutobi paused to pull his pipe from his robes and light it. He was giving Kakashi time to process everything he'd been told so far.

Having calmed down slightly Kakashi asked a question that hadn't been answered yet, "Sir, you keep saying things that make me think you doubt my team will pass the test. Can I ask why?"

"Certainly. Let me spell it out for you. The team has changed and that will alter their entire team dynamic. With Naruto there was a chance, a very good chance that they would learn the lesson you were trying to teach them. His very loyalty to his team, no matter how they treated him would have been a deciding factor. His willpower would have driven the others onwards. With him out of the team you don't have his drive. You also have Sasuke who believes in no one but himself, Sakura Haruno who believes in no one not even herself but Sasuke and Kiba who is an Inuzuka and while he'll try to make the team work, he will ultimately fail because he will not be able to understand Sasuke's apparent lack of loyalty. There's also the fact that he is an alpha type character and will not back down. You will have to keep them separated until there is a clear leader or else I fear all out war in your team and it will be Sasuke and Sakura against Kiba and Akamaru.

Watch this…" Sarutobi directed as he once again connected to his crystal ball. The scene that played out on the sphere was the scene between Sasuke and Sakura that Kiba had witnessed.

"The villagers and the ninja of this village have given him an inflated opinion of his own worth and ability. You are to crush his pride, you will drive the arrogance out of him. You will push them all to their limits of strength and endurance. You will not blow off their training onto anyone else and you most definitely will not favour ones training over the others. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal sir!"

/ Konoha Academy \

The lunch hour was possibly the longest torture session that he'd ever faced. He'd left team eight in the hopes that Hinata could raise Narutos' mood at least a little. Walking back into the room the first thing that he noticed was that Naruto hadn't moved…with a bowl of ramen sitting in front of him untouched. It was official, he was now scared for the boy. He was tempted to go over and check for a pulse the lack of appetite was so abnormal, especially as it was ramen. He wasn't the only one concerned either, Hinata was hovering in the seat next to him and there wasn't a blush in sight, in fact she was pale. He was so involved with team eight that he missed the fact that team seven wasn't in the room for several minutes.

"Where's team seven?" he demanded.

"Um, their Jounin-sensei came for them already. They left ten minutes ago sir."

Iruka blinked, then blinked again as he tried to process the information. He knew who was destined to lead team seven since it had the last Uchiha so it had to be Kakashi Hatake, who hadn't been early to a meeting in fifteen years, "Damn!"

"Iruka-sensei, calm yourself. I was informed to tell you that Hokage-sama had words about Hatake's issues with tardiness," the ANBU who'd been waiting for his return informed him. Iruka blinked several times before a massive grin broke out on his face. The panic of having the last Uchiha kidnapped right from under his nose by an imposter wasw gone but the adrenaline was stil rushing through his veins.

"Oh-chuckle-oh, thankyou cat-san," Iruka managed to get out around his laughter, "Oh, kami that is so rich!"

"You're welcome Iruka-sensei. Now if you no longer need me I shall return to my duties."

"Your services shouldn't be needed any longer cat-san but you've been needed twice so far today so I won't discount it." He bowed to the ANBU respectfully before the man shunshinned away.

"Alright, be quiet and team up. Be ready to leave with your Jounin-sensei when they arrive."

It was a good thing he'd returned to his desk as the doors to the class exploded inwards in a gout of flame and smoke, several of the Genin screamed as they scrambled out of the smoke coughing. Iruka didn't move as he watched a shadowy figure somersault through the quickly clearing smoke, he followed one of the two projectiles the figure threw at the walls to its left and right and watched as a banner unfurled revealing a poster proclaiming, "Anko Mitarashi, Team 8's most excellent sensei!!!"

Before Anko even landed she heard a steady thudding sound coming from behind her and turned to see the cute Chounin instructor banging his head steadily against his desk. Shrugging it off since she'd seen stranger and turned back to the Genin who were watching her with wide eyes.

"Alright maggots, which of you lot is team eight?"

Suddenly everyone was very helpful as everyone pointed fingers at the only Genin not paying attention to her. Even Hinata was watching her warily as their Jounin-sensei approached them.

"Is he alive?" she asked casually as she poked the recumbent form of Naruto with the pointy end of a dango skewer. No one answered her so she shrugged again which garnered some attention from the male population of the class as the mesh armour she favoured hugged every curve of her well muscled body.

Behind her the banging stopped as Iruka noticed Kurenai enter the room slowly shaking her head at her partners antics.

Iruka met her penetrating gaze, "Please tell me it isn't true," he gestured at the banners suspended from the rooms walls.

"Sorry, can't do that, it is true…"

"Who's fucking bright idea was that?" Iruka demanded.

"You'd have to speak to the Hokage about that," Kurenai smiled as she watched his eyes widen in disbelief before he turned back to Anko.

"She's had dango hasn't she" he accused.

"Eight sticks," Kurenai confirmed, "You know that's not good for you?" she asked conversationally as Iruka returned to banging his head against his desk.

"It hurts less than trying to wrap my head around…Oh fuck!"

"Language Iruka-sensei!" Kurenai reprimanded, though the humour in her voice softened it somewhat.

"You don't understand, someone put Anko and Naruto on the same team," he said as he pulled his Hitaite off along with a kunai from his weapons pouch.

"What are you doing?"

"I figure it's not too late to go nukenin," he said conversationally. Kurenai was about to collapse in laughter when she realized he wasn't really joking.

"Oh come off it…they can't be that bad…" she trailed off as she saw his incredulous expression.

"You do know Anko don't you?" he waited for Kurenia to nod before stating, "Well Naruto makes her look tame when he gets going." He was quite satisfied as he watched the Jounin go pale.

"Shit! And I've got to ride herd on them?"

"Good luck with that," Iruka commiserated with her though he smirked evilly at the thought as she'd been unconcerned for him just moments before.

"Come on Kurenai, I got what we came for!" Both Iruka and Kurenai turned to watch as Anko picked up the comatose form of Naruto up by his belt giving the Genin a world class wedgie at the same time which had the males in the class crossing their legs while their eyes watered in sympathy. She'd definitely gained Naruto's attention now as he shouted out in pain.

"Ooops!" Anko giggled as she shifted her grip to the back of his jacket and moved him out to arms length as he took a swing at her. "Well you're a runt aren't you? Hey Kurenai, you sure we can't throw him back until he grows up?" she howled at her own humour as she let another fist swing past her face by just a hairsbreadth. No matter how hard he swung he just didn't have the reach to teach her a lesson. Anko had a second to realize what he was doing when he made a ram seal and the room was obscured with white smoke.

Kurenai blinked as the room was suddenly filled with orange clad Genin. She'd been unsure if she believed the Hokage when he'd told them that the boy could produce hundreds of Shadow Clones but as they say, seeing is believing. That wasn't what had her concerned though, it was the feral look on Anko's face that had her ducking behind Iruka's desk.

"Whu?" he managed before the Jounin dragged him behind the desk. Anyone who was paying attention had also hidden behind their desks as Anko launched the real Naruto towards the ceiling. What followed was a massacre as she released hundreds of Dango sticks like senbon taking out every clone before their creator pancaked against the ceiling and began to descend. She deftly caught him by his jacket as he came level with her and avoided his attempt to kick her.

"Great technique, shame about the tactics," Anko mused before she smirked raising him above her head she formed seals with her free hand and everyone who was brave enough watched as she encapsulated herself in a water prison while the hand holding Naruto kept the surface tension while Naruto thrashed around trying to get free. Iruka watched intently as he hadn't known that the technique could be held from the inside and thought that the hand had to be placed to the outside of it.

Shino jumped out of concealment as he felt his kikaichu panic at being immersed in water that they couldn't escape. Hinata also leapt forward and pushed chakra into the water sphere with enough force to push Anko out of the water prison, unfortunately it left the kikaichu behind floating in the sphere. Before they drowned the Jounin released the technique and turned to face the Aburame.

"Your bugs are useful, I'll admit but that could just as easily been held long enough to kill them or I could have used fire in the first place. As for you Hyuuga, nice work…Keep it up." Naruto was still trying to attack her so she launched him once more, this time towards Shino so that his team-mate could make sure he landed properly rather than on his head. She shook hers as she noticed that the blonde had atrocious balance. Something else they'd need to work on once they got to training.

"Right, settle team eight," Anko said as she turned serious in the blink of an eye. Naruto either didn't note her change in attitude or didn't care. Whichever it was he drew a kunai and started to move towards the Jounin once more. Only he suddenly found he couldn't move and his own kunai was being held pointed at his left eye.

"I said settle down team eight. That means you Naruto Uzumaki. It would be a shame to kill you before your Genin career even begins." No one in the room doubted she'd do it if she deemed it necessary and everyone went still, including Iruka who'd never seen Anko like this before.

"Now that team eight has passed its final test lets find somewhere quiet to introduce outselves."

Some brave soul who'd more courage than common sense blurted out, "What final test? We've already passed the final exam!"

Anko was not amused by the interruption and launched Narutos' kunai so fast that only the Chounin and Jounin in the room could track it. The Genin she'd aimed at didn't see it at all as it sped past his face leaving a crimson line along one cheek.

"Why don't you try and figure it out Genin. Try thinking before you open that gaping hole in your head and you won't appear so stupid for the short time you're still alive." Dismissing the boy from her mind she turned back to her team.

"Aburame, you know training ground sixteen?" she waited for his nod, "Alright, team eight, follow bugboy here. You have ten minutes to meet me at training ground sixteen. Coming Kurenai?" she asked just before shunshinning away leaving a shower of leaves swirling to the floor.

/ TBC \

Authors notes – well I'd like to thank everyone who reads this, the first chapter of my first ever story. Please consider reviewing after all it takes a lot longer for me to write this than it takes to review.

Right, enough said about that. I like to think I got everyone's characters down. Other than the few times Anko's seen in the manga she's pretty much someone who can be shown anyway you like. Though I've tried to stay close to what we saw in the manga by showing her perverse sense of humour


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer? It's been brought to my attention that I have not provided a disclaimer for this work of fiction based on the characters of Kishimoto-san. At this time I am unprepared to provide such a thing, please check in the next chapter.

A/N:- It's come to my attention that there are a number of fics out there named "Team 8" So…I've been thinking about changing it to something else. The name I'm favouring so far is, "The Sage of the Six Paths". What that means, you'll have to wait and see since I've never seen an explanation of what these "Six Paths" actually are and I'll be putting my particular ideas on it to you the readers. As per usual, please review and let me know what you think of my story. Having never written a fic prior to this I had little idea what the response would be and am utterly flabbergasted by the positive response I've received. I'm thrilled and if I didn't have three relatives in hospital over the Christmas period then I would have released this sooner.

Please persevere with this chapter as I know the end half is a little dry, but it provides the history of the village, greatly condensed and Sarutobi's reasons for his current actions. It is important and will have bearing on things to come. Enough said. Welcome to the fanfiction.

**Team 8**

Chapter 2

The mid-day sun beat down on the only barren expanse of land within a days travel of Konoha that didn't involve a body of water. Equal in size to area 44, training ground 16 was an expanse of bare rock used to train infiltration teams during the Iwa war. Hardly used since the last says of that altercation as everything about the Land of Stone was different from the approach to building to the peoples attitudes about personal freedom. Towards the centre of the area was a recreated Iwa village, a point that displayed some of those very differences as the only indication that it was there were a few outcrops of rock that would take very careful examining to reveal that there were entrances into the underground warren of rooms. It was one of the main reasons that the war had dragged on for nearly a decade rather than ending in a decisive battle. It was extremely hard to approach a village that had such a choke point as an entry and that was disregarding that the people of Stone had an earth affinity that allowed them to sense infiltration teams quite easily.

Two figures stood a mile in from the southern edge of the wasteland on a small mesa of rock that jutted from the hard plain to a height of forty or so metres. They'd been there mere moments as they'd shunshinned from the Academy just after setting their newly acquired team to join them here. Training ground sixteen was four miles away from the Academy which made the total distance just over five miles, with a stated time limit of ten minutes any academy student should be able to make that in Anko's opinion. Any time less than ten minutes and she'd gain respect for her students, not that she would coddle them. In that direction lay their death and she wouldn't be responsible for that if she could help it.

"So," Anko started, "First impressions?"

"That you're absolutely bat-shit crazy!" Kurenai chuckled.

"That's not a first impression..." Anko pouted.

"Yeah it is, and that I've held it for twelve years just proves your consistent. You were, and still are insane. You do realize you nearly destroyed Iruka's classroom?"

Anko smiled as she remembered the expression of disbelief on his face when he'd surveyed the damage.

"Do you think he'll remember me?"

Kurenai snorted, "I think I can guarantee he's going to remember you…with every dango skewer he pulls out of the walls, floor, and ceiling. Not to mention the furniture we hid behind." Kurenai admitted ruefully before looking more closely at the newly appointed Jounin, "You actually like him? Don't you?"

The furious blush that erupted on Anko's face was all the confirmation Kurenai needed.

"Oooh, tell!"

"There's nothing to tell…"

"Yet…" she insinuated.

Anko froze as her skin returned to its normal hue and her expression became abnormally serious.

"I don't know if there ever will be anything. I don't exactly have a great track record Kurenai."

Kurenai looked at the slightly younger woman and remembered just how hard she'd had it. Being known as the apprentice of Orochimaru the traitor had done wonders for her career and social life. Being shunned by the village had been painful in the beginning, any ninja with a modicum of ability would have been able to see that, as she had been no state to hide her pain and confusion in the early days of her return to Konoha. Adding to her pain had been the knowledge that Orochimaru had killed her parents. No one knew why since they weren't ninja but then the man wasn't sane by anyone's standards and as such very little he did made sense.

She thought she'd known her friend but the events of today showed her just how little she really knew. She'd never known the true depth of her friends pain or how it had truly affected her. One thing she did know was there were no guarantees in life.

"Just don't leave it too long Anko…Just because it did this morning and yesterday, there's no guarantee that the sun will rise tomorrow. Take a chance, you never know it might just be worth it…" Kurenai left the thought hanging.

"I'll keep it in mind, but right now my priority is team eight. So again…first impressions?"

"Oh no, it's your team. Why don't you tell me what you think?"

Stopping for a moment as she processed everything she'd read and seen in the files and in Irukas' classroom.

The information I have is incomplete and it doesn't match what I've seen for myself. The Aburame is what I would expect of one of that clan, though I'd have to speak to his elders to find out if his control of his allies is as advanced as it should be. The file I have is at best incomplete due to clan secrecy. Uzumaki is a surprise, I expected less from his academy files, and yet his grasp of Kage Bunshin is almost instinctual. Fifty clones in under three seconds is excellent in anyone's language but the Uchiha was right. Fifty times nothing is still nothing. The real surprise though is the Hyuuga, she has no killer instinct where she herself is concerned but when her team was threatened…" Kurenais' snort broke her train of thought, "Alright, where her Naruto is concerned she loses any reserve she has about hurting someone…"

"You noted that too?"

"Oh come off it. Her crush on Naruto is almost legendary. We have to stop it or it will get her killed. I will see her crush eradicated or I will see it realized."

"You're planning on playing match-maker?"

"Not my style as such, but if her vision of Naruto survives reality then it's a good bet that eventually she'll move on him and make her interest clear. She might need a sledge hammer to get the idea through his thick skull but he'll get it eventually. In the meantime we can use the crush as motivation for her to get stronger."

Kurenai didn't know what to say to that and was just opening her mouth to ask another question when she noticed movement on the edge of the training field. Anko had spotted them as well it seemed.

"Hmm, six minutes…Not bad. Should be another minute to get here. I can work with this," she said as she pulled the tag on the signal flare she was holding.

/ Konoha Academy \

Team seven were currently sitting on the roof of the academy building with their new sensei, who so far in their introductions had failed to be impressed in any way. An avenger and a fan girl obsessed with said avenger…Kami I hope the Inuzuka isn't as bad.

"Alright dog boy, you're up!"

"The name's Kiba Inuzuka, my favourite thing is Akamaru," who was currently lying on his back getting a belly rub, "We've been partners for a year now. What I want is for Akamaru and me to learn all our clan techniques and become the strongest in our clan!"

"Okay. That's enough of that. We'll break here and meet early tomorrow when we'll start your training. Yes Sakura?" he asked as he noted the girl raise her hand.

"What will we be doing sensei?"

"It'll be survival training," he answered before beginning to chuckle.

"Hey, why are you laughing?" Kiba demanded.

"Nope…Can't tell you, because then you'd chicken out," Kakashi taunted them.

"Hah! I ain't gonna chicken out. We'll take on anything! Right Akamaru?"

"Yip!"

The Uchiha's only response was to glare at him while Sakura looked nervous.

"Well we'll see after your test tomorrow won't we?"

"Test? What test?" Kiba demanded.

"Why, to see if you're good enough to be shinobi of Konoha of course," Kakashi stated as if it were the most obvious thing he'd ever said.

"Huh? But we've already passed our tests…" Sakura's whine was cut off abruptly as Kakashi began speaking again.

"That was a test of your technical abilities. It's hardly useful to gauge if you'll be able to survive in the field, now is it?" he asked. The three Genin watched him as he paced in front of them, "I think it's only fair to warn you that the Genin test has a pass rate of one in three. That means there's a good chance two of you will be returning to the Academy for further training." If they were wide eyed before then Kakashi's announcement had them positively boggling, well except for the Uchiha who's glare only intensified.

"Hn," he snorted derisively, "So you said we're going to do a survival test tomorrow?" he asked unconcerned, he'd done survival tests before and passed without and problems, "So what's so difficult about that?"

"Maybe the fact that you'll have to survive me?" he announced in answer.

"You?" Kiba asked confusedly.

"Me," Kakashi answered. To drive the point home he drew several kunai and launched an underpowered attack at each of them. The first blade flew past Sakura close enough that she almost felt it. It took her a second to realise that the pink hair floating around wasn't attached to anything and her hands clasped to her head in shock. Kiba saw the first kunai leave his sensei's hand and was expecting the one heading towards him, only it wasn't, it thudded into the tarmac just short of him just missing Akamaru who was still on his back scratching himself against the rough surface while waiting for the humans to get their conversation over with. Sasuke was prepared for the attack that headed his way, not having had time to see the outcomes of the other two attacks as they'd happened almost simultaneously he only knew that the knife would strike him in the face if he didn't react. Not having time to devise a plan he almost hesitated between deflecting the sharp weapon with the small metal plates on his knuckles or simply rolling back. With his mind locked in indecision his training took over and he rolled away from the blade as it passed through the space his head had just occupied.

He was just reaching for a kunai of his own when the surprised yelp of Akamaru distracted him.

"Be at training ground seven at eight a.m. tomorrow. Oh, and just a thought…you might want to forgo breakfast," he spoke mildly into the growing silence, "Afterall you'll only throw up once we begin anyway." As he finished speaking the Jounin who'd become their sensei smiled for the first time and there was nothing reassuring about it. Sakura shivered as a sudden breeze kicked up and leaves whirled across the roof engulfing the tall silver haired man just before his smiling face vanished as he shunshinned away leaving them alone to digest what he'd told them.

It was a subdued group of Genin who vacated the roof after a few minutes of silence stretched out uncomfortably between them. No one spoke as they examined their fellow team-mates. Sasuke was the first to move as he finished looking over his prospective competition. If there was only a one in three chance that any one of them passed this test then he was going to make sure it was him. Sakura left close on his heels, scrambling to catch up. She was unsure if she'd chosen the right path in life now and being close to Sasuke firmed her shaken resolve, after all he was on her team and he'd see them pass. Wouldn't he?

Kiba stayed on the roof for nearly an hour doing something he'd never been really noted for during his academy career. He was thinking deeply on his chances of beating a Jounin and not liking the odds. Finally after checking Akamaru for the tenth time to make sure the puppy wasn't injured in any way he headed for home. He had a few questions he'd need to ask his mother.

/ Training Ground 16 \

Naruto was the only member of his team to remain upright when he arrived at the smoke flare his sensei had set off to show where they were waiting. He was a little bit out of breath but within five breaths he was breathing normally again. Shino was able to support himself semi-upright by bracing his hands against his knees. Hinata was a whole different kettle of fish, she wasn't in the kind of shape that could run five miles in just under seven minutes and not feel it. Then again the Jyuken wasn't known for it's brute force attacks or extended battles, it tended to be a subtle and rather brutally quick shut down of the opponents tenketsu.

Anko observed her team silently refraining from commenting on their varied physical conditions. It wouldn't matter shortly because they'd be working on strength and stamina for at least six weeks whilst doing D rank missions, after which she'd reassess them and see if they were ready to start on C ranks. It was all dependant on their attitudes towards the training which was going to be rather intense. Sarutobi had informed each sensei of what he was expecting to which Anko had shrugged, it wasn't like it changed her plans for her team. They were definitely going to learn to crawl before they learned to walk.

"So, you finally made it in…" she looked down at the stop-watch, "six minutes fifty-three seconds…Adequate…Barely."

She might have been happy with anything less than ten minutes but that didn't mean that she had to tell the Genin that. In fact she was going to do everything to drive them onwards and upwards that she could think of.

One thing she'd noticed about Konoha, both the ninja community and the civilians was that they were very quick to label people. It was genius this, prodigy that, or gifted so and so. The problem with that in her opinion is that people thus labelled often took those labels to heart and believed that they were such, and then they stopped working as hard. After all they were gifted right? Why would they need to work for better skills?

No matter that she had two clan members in her team and a Jinchuuriki she would never let them know that the time they'd just delivered was pretty good, nor that she was happy that they had chosen to move as a team. It was easy to tell that Naruto, who had hardly been out of breath could have pushed himself and possibly made it in five minutes, and the Aburame could have pushed a little harder. The one she was worried about though was Hinata, her speed was acceptable but her stamina was almost none existent.

Naruto couldn't believe his ears when their sensei called their speed 'barely adequate' and was pretty peeved.

"Oi! We got here as quick as we could!"

"No, no you didn't," Anko paused, "You got here as quickly as your slowest team-mate could…"

Hinata who was still taking deep gasping breaths trying to regulate her oxygen levels heard the tone of voice her sensei was using and flushed with humiliation. It was happening again…it didn't seem to matter how hard she worked there was always someone there to knock her down. Nothing she did was ever good enough…and she'd had such hope after Anko sensei had praised her in the classroom.

"Hey! You leave Hinata-ch…" Naruto's protest was rudely cut off as Anko blurred across the small expanse of rock separating them and literally picked the small boy up by the lapels of his bright orange jacket tightening his collar until it cut off his breath.

"First rule gaki…When speaking to someone higher ranked than you, you will speak to them with respect. I will answer to Mitarashi-sensei, or just sensei. This," she gestured at the red eyed kunoichi that the students had noticed in the background, "is Kurenai Yuhi, she will be my assistant, you will refer to her as Yuhi-sensei. Anyone at the rank of Chounin or above you will refer to as sir or ma'am. One more thing, no matter what, you will not raise your voice to me or anyone else above your station. We are shinobi, we do not go around announcing our presence to all and sundry…"

"Huh?" Naruto asked.

"Dumbed down for you, if you open your gaping mouth and shout at me or anyone again, unless it's an emergency then I'll fill it with whatever comes to hand. Be it my fist," she closed her free hand into a fist and held it before his face, "Or whatever weapon I happen to be holding."

Naruto gulped as he went cross-eyed as the point of a kunai suddenly appeared pressed against the bridge of his nose. Naruto could feel a warm trickle running down his nose and just knew it wasn't sweat.

"Are we clear?" she smiled coldly as the blonde nodded his head as best he could without cutting himself on the kunai further.

"Yes sensei."

"Good…Now that we've got that cleared up are there any questions?" She looked around the trio.

"Mitarashi-sensei?"

"Hmmm?"

"Am I correct in assuming that this team has two Jounin-sensei?"

"While Kurenai Yuhi is my assistant you are essentially correct."

"This is an unusual team configuration. Might I enquire as to why?"

"A good question Shino, with no easy answer. First of all this is my first Genin team and she will be making sure I don't make any mistakes, such as crippling you or killing you outright. Secondly, due to interference at the academy, there are certain gaps in people's educations that must be fixed," she watched her team for their reactions and was satisfied with the surprise on Hinata's face and Shino's raised eyebrows. "Not to put too fine a point on it, each of you has several glaring deficiencies in your training.

Hinata needs to increase her stamina and speed as we've just seen. As it is an enemy could outlast her in a fight easily and wait till she was exhausted before moving into close combat. It's one of the weaknesses of using the Jyuuken. Ranged attackers will always have an advantage. Not only will she expand her chakra reserves but we will augment her attack abilities so that she has some kind of ranged attacks other than kunai.

Shino, your chakra reserves are not as large as they should be, according to your clan file, and thus your hive is not as combat effective as I would hope for it to be." His file said no such thing but information was golden in the world of ninja and they didn't know what she knew. She would use mis-information as a lever to improve their skills.

"Naruto…I'll only say that, though his assessment was rather harsh, the Uchiha was correct. You have many too holes in your education and won't be an effective ninja…and don't you bristle at me," she said as she glared at Hinata who looked furious enough to yell at her for telling her that Naruto was almost useless as a ninja. Anko was pleased that Hinata was showing some spine as her file stated she lacked confidence. It seemed she'd been right, Naruto was proving to be a useful motivational tool for the young girl. She would do things for Naruto that she would never do for herself.

"That was your weaknesses. I know you don't want to hear about them but you can't fix a problem if you're unaware it is a problem. Now to your strengths. Hinata, your family taijutsu style is one of the, if not the best in Konoha. Combined with your blood limit which allows you to see everything around you and through most genjutsu, you make a formidable fighter and tracker. I will have to find out the effective ranges of your Byakugan later so that it can be integrated into the team as usefully as possible.

Shino, your hive is also your greatest strength. Able to scout large areas, or to track chakra traces. Also useful in battle as your kikaichu can drain the chakra from your enemies. They also can be used to tag team-mates so they can be found easier. I assume you've already done this?" At Shino's nod she chose to continue rather than shudder at the thought that somewhere on her person was an insect. She was funny like that. Snakes? Not a problem. But bugs? That was a whole different matter, it was probably the legs...

"As for Naruto," she turned to the dejected figure who was slumped on the ground, "For all his apparent weaknesses is actually the strongest member of this team…"

Naruto looked up in disbelief, and he wasn't the only one as Shino had raised an eyebrow in enquiry as well.

"Surprising isn't it? He's fast, and capable of stealth. His planning is pretty good, if limited to pranks. His strongest ability though is to utilize Shadow clones. Well enough about that, those aren't all your strengths and weaknesses but you'll find out all about each other as you learn to work together. While it is the shinobi ways to keep secrets about your abilities and weaknesses, that doesn't include your team-mates," she paused once more to make eye contact with each member of Team 8 to make sure they were paying attention before continuing, "I want you to look at your team-mates, I want you to look at them and think about them dead. The secret you keep from your team could be the cause of death of yourself or one of your team-mates…"

Kurenai Yuhi settled back to listen to Anko brief her Genin team growing more and more concerned as the newly appointed Jounin laid it on rather thick in her opinion. She wouldn't have covered so much so quickly, it would have been spread out over several weeks or months preferably.

"I don't know what they've taught you in the academy," though she knew very well what they were taught, "But the life of a shinobi isn't glorious…There is no honour except the honour of spending your lives in service to the village. You will suffer pain, indignities, horrors that will scar your lives and all for a paltry few Ryo. Every time you pass those walls on anything above a D ranked mission, you are gambling with your lives. Yesterday's intelligence is useless today, things change, people lie and your lives will pay the price. The village may mourn, the village may enact a price in retribution but that won't save you from the group of Jounin that the client didn't tell us of when negotiating the mission contract. There are worse fates than dying though, I hear Kumo would gladly sell it's soul to get their hands on a Hyuuga," she ignored Hinata's flinch as she shrank away from the Jounin sensei.

"When you get home tonight I want you to spend some time thinking on this, I want you to think long and hard about whether this is the life you want and if you change your minds about becoming shinobi you'd better do it soon…"

"We're already shinobi…we can't just quit," Naruto might not be the smartest person around but even he knew that becoming Genin was something you didn't back away from.

"That's where you're wrong. You are provisionally Genin until I place this paperwork in the hands of the Hokage. I can delay this for up to a week. I won't have any weak willed wannabe's on my team. If you have any doubt about what you want to be, then you don't belong here. If you are here for respect then you'd best leave. If you are here for glory then I'll kill you myself," Anko hissed out the last words as kunai dropped into either hand and she glared at the children shrinking away from her. The light killer intent she was focusing on them wasn't helping their fear either. After thirty seconds of searching their wide eyes for any sign that they would run she released them and straightened up.

"That you're not running for the village right now is either a sign of great courage, or massive stupidity. At this time I reserve judgement. If you are still here in a week…well we'll see. In the meantime, we'll be working on the three S's…."

"Hunh?"

"Anyone?" Anko asked exasperatedly.

"Uhm, S-sen-sei?"

"Yes Hinata?"

"Um, is it, s-spee-d, s-s-s-strength a-and s-stamina?"

"Yes," Anko smiled for the first time since they arrived, just a bare quirk of her lips but still it had been the only encouragement Hinata had received in a long time and so it was Hinata perked up rather noticeably, "Exactly. Now that all that's out of the way, we're going to go for a little jog," the evil grin that crossed her face had Naruto gulping and a shiver ran down the spines of the other two Genin. Then again it was only a jog, how hard could it be?

"Up kiddies, time to run," Anko announced. She watched as Hinata scrambled to her feet and joined Naruto and Shino before she turned and started to jog away. Shino nearly crashed into her back when she suddenly stopped, Naruto tripped over his own feet and Hinata daintily stepped over him while spinning around the stationary form of Shino.

"Oh, silly me…I almost forgot," she said as she clicked her fingers. A small whirl of leaves appeared and a second Anko appeared. "Did you get them?"

"Yes," the second Anko answered handing over a scroll which was promptly unrolled and activated, when the smoke cleared a jumbled pile of gear appeared. Anko reached down before passing a backpack to each of her Genin.

"This is your mission gear, you will carry it with you wherever you go when not in your homes. You will sleep with it near you, you will bathe with it near you, you will eat with it…"

Naruto couldn't resist asking, "Um, sensei…how do we eat with it?"

"Open your mouth a little wider and I'll show you Naruto," as she took the pack from his hands and hefted it.

"Um, no thanks sensei," Naruto gulped at her expression.

"Then keep your mouth firmly shut," she said as she thrust the pack back into his arms nearly knocking him off his feet.

"These are chakra weights, again you will keep them on at all times, and I mean all times. The only time you'll be without these is when we leave the village for your first mission. Put them on," she passed out the thin leather strapping and showed them how to put them on.

"Holy…" Naruto exclaimed as he felt the full weight as Anko dropped his arm, "How are we supposed to run with these on?"

"Are you saying you won't?" Anko asked dangerously close. Naruto hadn't noticed just how snakelike his sensei's eyes actually were until they were that close to his face and it took everything in him not to back away.

"Um, no…"

"Then put them on, shut up and follow me," she said as she waited impatiently for them to do as they were told. As she moved away Kurenai noted that her step was rather bouncy and light, ah well, at least Anko was having fun. Her Genin on the other hand were just starting to figure out how heavy their gear and the weights were as they staggered after their sensei.

"How long do you think it'll take them to realize they're following a Bunshin?"

"Ah-ha, ha, noticed that did you?"

"Hello…Genjutsu mistress here?"

Anko looked abashed at her slip, "Uh, yeah, right. To answer the question, they won't. Right now they're too busy trying to stay upright." She smirked at her assistant.

"Just how much weight are they carrying?"

"Well their packs weigh about thirty kilos a piece, Hinata's got ten on each wrist and twenty on her ankles, Shino, fifteen and thirty and Naruto's got thirty and fifty."

"Are you trying to kill them?" Kurenai asked incredulously.

"Everything short of Kurenai, everything short of."

"Why?"

"You know my history Kurenai. How I joined for all the wrong reasons? I was going to be the next sennin, me and my team-mates. We were going to be great and we knew it. Then He came along and I knew I was right…we were special," she snorted in derision, "You know how that all ended. They can hate me, they can want me dead, I know I certainly want my sensei dead. I don't care, but they will be strong, they aren't going to be some sacrifice to my vanity, to my greatness. They'll either get strong enough, or they'll quit."

"Just how hard are you planning to push them?"

"They'll run about ten miles today, eleven tomorrow, twelve the next day. I'll keep them running until they make a complete circuit of this training ground," Anko said grimly.

"But that's fifty miles…"

"Closer to sixty…Once they've completed a circuit I'm going to push them to do it faster until they reach a level I think is adequate…"

"And just when will that be?"

"A mile a minute," Anko stated to the woman who'd just frozen completely immobile.

"But that's….that's ANBU level…" Kurenai finished in a whisper.

"Unh, and when they can do that without collapsing we'll up the weights."

"They're only Genin…"

"No! That's where you're wrong…They're shinobi of the Leaf, they live or die by what we teach them! How hard we push them here. Here where they're safe," Anko thought of others who hadn't worked hard enough, not as hard as she'd been prepared to work. Her strength was the only reason she was still alive, the only reason she wasn't like Junko or Nameki. They'd thought they were strong but Orochimaru hadn't cared, he'd killed them anyway. Did his best to kill her too.

Kurenai watched her friends inner turmoil for a moment.

"You're not respons…"

"Don't you tell me what I'm not!" Anko screamed at her in response, "My pride killed them as sure as he did!"

She couldn't believe what she'd just heard or that Anko was nearly hysterical, the slap was instinctive, the loud crack as the flat of her hand impacted Anko's face echoed from the stone mesa.

"Are you finished?" Kurenai yelled at her, "Are you over your little pity party or can anyone join in? You're no more responsible for his actions than you are for mine or the Hokage's. He was trusted, you had no reason to suspect his motivation…You were a Genin…Stronger ninja than you were fooled by that snake. Get over yourself…You want to blame someone? Then blame him! He killed them, he killed lots of people, hundreds…he was a traitor to the village, the Land of Fire…Not you," Kurenai finished softly as she watched her shocked team-mate.

Gathering herself she asked, "So, are you sure you want to push them that hard? You know you can't guarantee they'll live Anko…No one can do that."

"Maybe not, but I'll give them a chance. People will see Genin and I'll make them stronger than that, people will see Chounin and I'll have made them stronger than that…"

"Just don't break them in the process Anko…I'll never forgive you if you do. You will become my Orochimaru…Think on that…" Silence reigned for several minutes.

"I won't push them so hard Kurenai, but in the end they will meet my standards or they won't ever be promoted."

Her only response was a curt nod.

"What else have you got planned for them?"

"Once they finish the run they should be exhausted. I want you to put them under genjutsu, run them through some simple C rank missions. Make them the decision makers, put their targets just beyond their current levels. Push them to plan things out, expand their tactics. Don't make it so real that injuries translate, that'll only slow them down. Make sure they get the pain though, they'll learn faster."

It took a moment to process the idea before she started to really think of the possibilities. Normally such a plan would be useless against a Hyuuga or an Aburame because they could sense the chakra used in even the most subtle genjutsu. But exhaustion…that would change things greatly.

/ Hokage tower \

The office was high in the tower, the only thing higher being the Hokage's personal quarters. Hiruzen Sarutobi, Hokage sat at the desk created by the Shodaime Hokage when he'd first ascended the position after the formation of Konoha. Each person to hold that position since had sat at this desk as they ruled the village attempting to instil some greater purpose into their charges so that future generations could prosper.

The village had first been formed with the alliance of the three great clans, Senju, Uchiha and Hyuuga. Alone, each had been powerful, but together they had gouged a place in a world torn by strife, created a safe haven for themselves and prospered. Over the years they'd subdued the smaller clans that had been in their sphere of influence. Those that were powerful they crushed as they knew that they would never bend to the vision of the future that the first Hokage of Konoha had. Smaller clans, desperate for protection to assure their survival in the war torn Land of Fire had begun to form alliances and thus the village had grown. Grown enough to finally force a peace throughout the land as warring ninja and samurai clans and as an eerie silence fell for the first time in more than a hundred years, the clans saw what they had wrought.

Binding treaties were formed in that period, treaties that would place the forces of the samurai clans into the hands of the Daimyo of the land. A man who had fought so many battles and wars that his own forces had been crushed and depleted enough that he'd not had the power to actually enforce the laws of the land. Now, once more he had an army, strong enough to keep peace, strong enough to cow his neighbours and give them pause in their invasion plans. For they had only ben waiting for a time when the Land of Fire would, even if they sensed the approaching danger and united, have been too weak to fend of an invasion.

The ninja clans that survived, by treaty, reformed under the banner of Konoha swelling their ranks from the initial three clans until there were forty six clans and their numbers were able to match those of almost any nation in the Elemental countries. This strength gave Konoha an almost unique strength as the other lands were not as united, did not have a village such as Konoha. The strong of those countries ruled by might rather than diplomacy. That isn't to say that Konoha wasn't capable of shows of strength, just athat they preferred other ways. Commerce in the Land of Fire flourished and the other nations took note.

This was where the initial strife within Konoha arose. The three clans that had begun Konoha had joined for different reasons, the Senju, led by Hashirama Senju had seen a need for peace as cities burned, and the people were forced to flee their homes. Death stalked the land and was not the worst of the things that happened in that time. Slavery, rapine, thievery and banditry flourished, and in them the leader of the Senju clan saw the total and utter destruction of their world. The Hyuuga were the third strongest clan in the Land of Fire in that time of strife but they would have to admit that it was a distant third in strength and they were slowly being crushed between the two stronger clans. In the alliance they saw their salvation.

To the second strongest clan, the Uchiha it was a chance to weaken their opponents from within, with minimal chance of damage to themselves. Madara, the leader of the clan saw a world where the clans cowered at his feet, where the Daimyo would bow before him. Once that was accomplished he would move to crush the other Elemental countries. Only the peace that fell after years of struggle stalled his ambition, and the matter of the Senju being one of two powers behind the Daimyo had shown the other countries how their world could be. Madara had seen the chance slip away as years passed and the other countries formed their own hidden villages. He'd sought other ways to increase his power enough that he could take the reigns of power from the Senju clan and found it when he found a reference to the tailed beasts. After years more of research he finally enacted his plans by raising Kyuubi.

The Uchiha, Senju and Hyuuga clans rushed to meet this threat before it could threaten their village, but once the Senju were fully engaged the other clans all retreated leaving them to their fate. Watching this betrayal and the decimation of his clan the Shodaime became desperate to defeat Kyuubi and pushed his blood limit beyond and level he'd previously dreamed existed. He'd raised the Wood Dragon, a creature so deeply entrenched within the earth that the Kyuubi, a creature of fire had been quelled. Damaged beyond anything it had faced at any time in its life Kyuubi fled to lick its wounds leaving the exhausted Uchiha to face the exhausted Shodaime.

Unfortunately Madara had seen the trend of the battle and was already fleeing the area before the Kyuubi was defeated. His lead too great for the remnants of the Senju clan to catch the traitor they decided to return to Konoha and consolidate control of the village as the Uchiha and Hyuuga were already at each others throats to decide the next Hokage.

Hashirama upon his return to the village was recorded to have said, "The rumours of my demise are greatly exaggerated."

Over the next three days though, he'd aged rapidly. So quickly in fact that he'd passed village leadership to his younger brother, Tobirama Senju. The first Hokage died on the fourth day after the battle at the Valley of the End due to the exertion of his calling upon the Wooden Dragon technique.

Tobirama's reign would prove to be as peaceful as his brothers in that the first of the Great Shinobi wars would be fought. A war that claimed his life towards its end. Then he'd stepped into the breach and solidified Konoha's crumbling defences. The end of the war came eight months after the death of the Nidaime, when the first graduates of the Nidaime's academy graduated. Formed to bolster the number of ninja within the village the academy trained those with no previous knowledge to act as auxiliaries to the clans. There were only forty extra Genin, but they were badly needed and tipped the balance in Konoha's favour.

As peace descended, Hiruzen Sarutobi set about replenishing the numbers of clan and non clan ninja within Konoha. He set up laws that actively encouraged the population to consider becoming ninja and defending the village from outside threat. It became a matter of pride to have had a member of your family graduate from the Academy. Over the next ten years they managed to triple the effective fighting forces of Konoha in what they'd hoped would be an effective deterrent to further attacks. In a sense they had been right, no one attacked them directly but attacks on their allies in Suna had instigated the Second Great Shinobi war. Coming to their allies aid had provided him with his second claim to fame, the nick-name, 'The God of Ninja' to go along with the one he already possessed, 'The Professor'.

The second war ended relatively well for Konoha and her allies. It proved easier for them to recoup their losses and thus they were able to cow their neighbours into peaceful relations. They then set about assisting the smaller war ravaged nations who's only part in the greater conflict was to provide the battlefields. In return Konoha issued interest free, long term loans when they were unable to repair damaged infrastructure outright.

Having led the village to prosperity over his twenty years as Hokage, he'd decided that he'd done enough. He'd been in two world wars and seen his village returned stronger than ever after each of them. It was time for a younger man to take up the mantle of leader. Of his three students he'd deemed Orochimaru both the most suited, due to his innate intelligence, he was also the most unworthy as he saw the title of Hokage as nothing more than a stepping stone to the ultimate domination of the elemental countries. His two remaining students neither wanted the position nor the responsibility, though Jiraiya did suggest his student for the position. After reviewing as much a he could about several possible candidates he'd interviewed Minato Namikaze and found him to be as Jiraiya said, an extremely viable candidate who shared his own vision of the future.

Iwa were happy at the change in leadership as well as they'd been preparing for their third attempt to crush the 'Will of Fire'. Knowing they stood little chance against a tried and tested warrior of Sarutobi's level they'd been waiting and preparing for the day that he stood down and handed the title of Hokage off to the young blonde. No sooner had he done this than the forces of Iwa had poured across the border with little warning. Their underground bases had served to hide the fact that they'd conscripted anyone under the age of twenty and given them an abbreviated education in being Shinobi. Trained for naught but combat they'd barely been above Genin level and the forces of Konoha would have had no trouble with them except they kept coming. Their numbers in the tens of thousands they could afford to throw away a hundred to kill several Jounin of Konoha, and they often did. Until the creation of the seals that allowed for his signature Jutsu to become reality the war had been brutal and one sided. A matter that was reversed shortly thereafter as the Fourth Hokage forged his legend as the 'Yellow Flash of Konoha'. The war had been short after that, and two years of constant battle ended with both sides being signatories to a non-aggression pact.

Peace wasn't something that the village had time to get used to though as shortly after the end of the war the most powerful of the Bijuu had attacked. The Kyuubi no Youkai had been a terrible force of destruction who's very presence had demoralised the ninja of Konoha long before they'd even known that they were being attacked. The only reason the defence of the village was so strong had been that Minato Namikaze was an impassioned speaker and had roused their fighting spirit. He didn't think that even he would have been able to match the morale boost that that speech had given the people and he'd had decades of experience making such speeches. While the Shinobi of the village had been able to slow the approach of the greater demon they had been unable to stop it, or even damage it appreciably.

Minato had then done something that many deemed foolhardy, though none denied his bravery or his sacrifice. The people who had respected him as their leader learned to love him as they finally came to understand the depth of his commitment to the village. His sacrifice in sealing the Kyuubi had cemented his place in the history of the village forever. Even those who had previously hated him for the changes he wrought in the way the village worked grew to respect him from that one action.

The aftermath of the battle had been terrible, their forces had been reduced by half and they were at the weakest they'd been since before the First Great war. On top of that Sarutobi had been forced to return to a post he'd retired from just five years prior. Again it was a matter of there being no real candidates that held to the ideals that the first and second Hokage had adhered to. Orochimaru was still seeking only power, and the other candidate, Danzo, had proved that if he were to attain the position of Hokage then the village would be at war shortly thereafter.

He remembered those early days after the war and Kyuubi, the village council had been forced to take much of the daily strain of controlling the village due to the fact that the Hokage had been embroiled in various battles. When he'd stepped back into the role of Hokage he'd found it had changed, not greatly but enough that he took note. He'd thought that Minato had taken on more of the responsibilities and paperwork and hadn't wanted to disturb the apparent status quo. He'd worked hard and diligently during that first year, but with the restructuring of the village and the repairs that needed to be made to both infrastructure and fighting strength he'd been swamped with work. Hence him not noticing that the paperwork he was being given became more and more trivial as the years progressed. He gradually became used to the level of paperwork and never really thought to question it since he much preferred paperwork to watching the youth of the village march out of the gates to battle. It was only recently that he'd begun to question the need for him to approve the supply requisition forms for newly minted Genin teams.

He felt like he'd been asleep for the last decade and was currently just waking up. The question of the his workload led to other questions and eventually he'd enacted an investigation as an S-class mission for ANBU. He'd vetted the teams very carefully before he'd even briefed them so that the fact the mission had been called wouldn't be revealed to anyone before he was ready to act on it.

Now, with the final report on his desk and irrefutable proof, he was ready to act. Things in the village were about to change and he was just hoping that the clans would stand behind him as he made those changes. It was true that he wasn't expecting war with their neighbours at this time, but a wise man had once said, 'If you would have peace, then prepare for war'. With the history of the Elemental countries it would be irresponsible to expect the peace to last forever, no matter what he personally hoped for.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, Third Hokage, and reinstated Acting Hokage sighed as he sat back in his swivel chair. Scrubbing at his tired face he slowly stood, squaring his shoulders to face one of the most demanding, and hopefully successful campaigns of his Shinobi career. He was no longer the Acting Hokage, he was The Hokage, and people would acknowledge it or they would face the consequences.

/ TBC \

A/N:- Well I hope you weren't too bored with that last section. Like I said, it's important to me to do this as it explains motivation of characters and hopefully stops people from asking 'WTF did he do that for'. Not that I don't appreciate people asking questions, but why when reading the above will answer it for you already. Again, **Please Review**, and let me know what you think.

Oh and I know it feels awkward stopping here but I felt that an eight thousand word chapter is long enough for most readers. I'll cover everything you're expecting and more in the next thrilling instalment of Team 8, or The Sage of the Six Paths, if I rename the fic. Let me know.


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